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Keller @ Large: Debate Moderators Deserve Criticism

By Jon Keller, WBZ-TV

BOSTON (CBS) - Few Democrats will agree I'm sure, but for those open to conservative and libertarian ideas about economic growth and government's role in it, Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate offered food for thought.

Current Governors Chris Christie and John Kasich and former Governors Jeb Bush and Mike Huckabee offered interesting thoughts based on their executive experiences. Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio had pointed criticisms of the federal government. Business executives Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina added a private sector perspective, as did Dr. Ben Carson.

I thought Rubio and Fiorina were the most articulate, Kasich and Christie the most passionate, and didn't see Trump or Carson doing any damage to their standing atop the polls.

On the down side, Paul and Huckabee vanished for long stretches, and Bush just looked lost.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

But it was Cruz who drew the biggest cheer of the night when he lashed out at the CNBC panel for asking crude gotcha questions, inserting themselves inappropriately into the debate, and failing to fairly and smoothly moderate the event.

Trump, Rubio and Christie also piled on, and the criticism was richly deserved.

There are all different types of debate styles, and most of them are just fine. I prefer to ask substantive questions and then play traffic cop, letting the candidates challenge each other and leaving the voters to decide who is credible and who isn't without guidance from me.

But hopefully we can all agree that what we saw Wednesday night wasn't really worthy of the candidates, like them or not, or the voters.

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